University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project
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The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project, or UMNSVP, is a team of undergraduate students from the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
that designs and constructs solar-powered cars. In its 31 years, it has established itself as one of the world's top solar racing teams, and the top Cruiser/Multi-Occupant Vehicle team in the Western Hemisphere, with top-two finishes in eighteen of thirty-four events entered.


History


Beginnings

The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project was founded following the GM Sunrayce USA in 1990. With little to no prior knowledge, the team successfully built and raced ''Aurora I'' in Sunrayce 93.


''Aurora'' Generation

The first generation of UMNSVP cars, called ''Aurora'', mostly followed the "cutout" design that was typical of the 1990s, with a relatively flat body and a
bubble canopy A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility. The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; s ...
. Over three cars, the design was continually refined. All three of the ''Aurora'' vehicles had successful trips to international races, culminating in a 4th place in class finish in the 1999 Sunrayce and the team's first competition in the World Solar Challenge in Australia.


''Borealis'' Generation

The ''Borealis'' series of cars represents the newer generation of solar cars: exotic, aerodynamic "manta-style" bodies with unlimited array area, able to (under ideal conditions) travel as fast as, or faster than, the flow of traffic on any road. All three of the ''Borealis'' cars were extremely successful with two second place finishes in the Formula Sun Grand Prix and one second place finish in the 2003 American Solar Challenge.


''Centaurus'' Generation

The new ''Centaurus'' series of cars took the project to a whole new level by allowing the driver to sit upright while driving. Three vehicles were built in the series, and it is clear that they quickly improved to achieve the levels of success the team enjoyed with the earlier Aurora and Borealis series cars. Most notably, ''Centaurus II'' placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2010 American Solar Challenge, and Formula Sun Grand Prix, respectively.


''Daedalus''

Daedalus marked a drastic design change from all of the team's previous solar cars. Designed for the new cruiser class in the 2013 Bridgestone
World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback. With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
, Daedalus was the team's first two-seater car and emphasized practicality. The car incorporated padded seats, a sound system, and a Nexus 7 tablet display.


''Eos'' Generation

''Eos I'' was the UMNSVP's 12th solar vehicle and was designed and built for the 2015 Bridgestone
World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback. With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
Cruiser Class, like its predecessor, ''Daedalus''. It featured improvements in both performance and practicality. ''Eos I'' was the first Cruiser car to ever compete in the American Solar Challenge. ''Eos II'' was the UMNSVP's 13th solar vehicle and built upon the foundation of ''Eos I.''


''Freya'' Generation

''Freya'' is the UMNSVP's 14th solar vehicle. ''Freya'' like the three cars before it, is a Cruiser Class vehicle. ''Freya'' is also the team's first four seated vehicle. ''Freya'' was manufactured during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
and was one of a thinned field to compete in the American Solar Challenge 2021. Despite its large footprint, its maneuverability won it first place in the Formula Sun Grand Prix. Similar to its predecessor, ''Freya'' included an interchangeable battery configuration, a fact that would become important after a battery fire during the American Solar Challenge 2021. This design allowed it to continue the race, where it placed second just behind Team Sunergy from Appalachian State University.


Achievements

In 30 years of competition, UMNSVP has built and raced 14 different cars, assembling one of the best records in North American solar car racing. In the team's history: *No car has ever failed to qualify for or finish a race *First or second-place finishes in nineteen of thirty-five events entered *8 top-five finishes in international competition *Raced in 5 countries *Finished 2nd Place in the American Solar Challenge 7 times *1st place victories in Formula Sun Grand Prix 6 times UMNSVP takes great pride in being one of the very few collegiate solar car teams that researches, assembles, encapsulates, and attaches its own
solar array A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and ...
. In fact, almost everything on the car is designed, built, and programmed by team members. On July 21, 2005, during the North American Solar Challenge, ''Borealis III'' passed from the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to become the first solar car to cross an international boundary during a race. After the team's first race, UMNSVP has placed in the top 5 at the American Solar Challenge 10 times, no team has done that more times. UMNSVP holds the record for the most FSGP victories; the only team with 6. UMNSVP is the only American team to have finished in the top-5 in 4 consecutive
World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback. With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
s. In 2016, ''Eos I'' became the first Cruiser car to ever compete in the American Solar Challenge. In 2021, ''Freya'' became the second American four seated car to compete in the Formula Sun Grand Prix after
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the ...
's ''Penumbra'', and the first American four seated car to ever compete in the American Solar Challenge, and the second four seated car to compete in the American Solar Challenge after Italian team
University of Bologna The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...
's ''Onda Solare''.


The future

The team is working on designing and building its 15th for competition in the 2023 World Solar Challenge.


Team Composition


Participants

The UMNSVP team is composed mainly of undergraduate students from the Twin Cities Campus of the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
. Most of the participants are studying
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
in the university's College of Science and Engineering, but students of any major are welcome to join the team. The team is usually composed of 40 to 60 active students.


Subteams

The team is composed of five main subteams. Each team is responsible for designing certain components of the car, although all the systems must eventually be integrated with one another. *The Composites and Structures Team (formerly called the Aerodynamics and Structures Team) is responsible for designing and constructing the outside shell of the vehicle. At most speeds, much of the power to drive the car is spent on air resistance. Thus, a shell with a low
drag coefficient In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (commonly denoted as: c_\mathrm, c_x or c_) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment, such as air or water. It is used in the drag e ...
must be built. In addition, much of the vehicle construction involving lightweight
composite material A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
s is done by the Composites and Structures Team. *The Array Team is responsible for creating the
solar array A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and ...
that is the primary source of the vehicle's power. The Array Team does not just attach the
solar cell A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon.
s to the car, but must also research and implement encapsulation techniques to protect the fragile solar cells. The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project is one of the few collegiate teams that encapsulates and mounts their own array. *The Electrical Team (formerly called the Controls Team) is responsible for designing, building, and programming all of the electrical systems of the car. This includes the batteries, power trackers, driver interface,
telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', "remote", an ...
systems, and the
electric motor An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate for ...
that drives the car. The primary goal of the Electrical Team is efficiency; the less power a device uses, the longer the car will be able to go. *The Mechanical Team (formerly the Vehicle Dynamics Team) is responsible for the design and fabrication of the structural and moving parts of the car, including the
brakes A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Background ...
,
suspension Suspension or suspended may refer to: Science and engineering * Suspension (topology), in mathematics * Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics * Suspension of a ring, in mathematics * Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspende ...
,
steering Steering is a system of components, linkages, and other parts that allows a driver to control the direction of the vehicle. Introduction The most conventional steering arrangement allows a driver to turn the front wheels of a vehicle using ...
, and chassis of the car. The largest challenges presented are to make the components as light and as small as possible so that the car may go faster. *The Operations Team manages the project's fundraising and public relations, ensuring the team has a presence with both sponsors and various educational activities.


Administration

In addition to the five subteams, there is also an executive team composed of leads from each subteam. The executive team is responsible for ensuring engineering timelines remain on track and the team remains funded and in good standing with the University. As with any student group at the University of Minnesota, UMNSVP must have a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor is not directly involved with the design or construction of the car, but performs executive duties and serves as a contact to the University. The current faculty advisor for the team is Professor David Orser (Electrical and Computer Engineering). Previous faculty advisors include Professors Jeff Hammer, Patrick Starr, Virgil Marple, Paul Imbertson, and Philip Cohen.


Good Luck Charms

The team has a number of good luck charms that are brought with to race events. These good luck charms include the Counter Sink, and garden gnomes David Chrome Tip and David Chrome Tip Jr.


Cars

The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project has built 14 cars in its history:


''Aurora I''

''Aurora I'' was the first vehicle built by UMNSVP. It is arguably one of the largest solar cars ever built for a race. It served as a solid basis of knowledge with which to work on future projects. * Sunrayce 93 ( Arlington,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
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Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
) **21st Place Overall (out of 36) **Awarded "SAE Design Excellence in Engineering Safety"


''Aurora II''

''Aurora II'' built heavily on the experience gained from Aurora I. It featured a complete redesign from the previous car and made the UMNSVP a permanent fixture in the world of solar car racing. * Sunrayce 95 ( Indianapolis,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
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Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
) **2nd Place Overall **Best daily average speed (50.4 mph) **Awarded "EDS Best use of Aerodynamics in Design" *1995 World Solar Rallye (
Akita is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places * 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid * Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan * Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan * Akita, Kumamoto ...
, Japan) **2nd Place, Junior Class **9th Place Overall (out of 79)


''Aurora3''

''Aurora³'' was a redesign of ''Aurora II'', with a focus on improving the efficiency of the car. It featured a more aerodynamic shape and an in-wheel motor, which was a vast improvement over Aurora II's chain driven motor. * Sunrayce 97 ( Indianapolis,
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Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
) **11th Place Overall (out of 36), due to a brake failure after brake fluid that was incompatible with the seals on the brake system caused the team to lose most of a day for repairs. **Broke the Sunrayce daily speed record set by Aurora II in Sunrayce 95 with a 54 MPH average speed over the 166 mile journey from Smith Center, Kansas to St. Francis, Kansas **3rd Place, teamwork *1998 World Solar Rallye (
Akita is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places * 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid * Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan * Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan * Akita, Kumamoto ...
, Japan) **1st Place, Junior Class **7th Place overall (out of 81) * 2000 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **2nd Place Open Class **3rd Place Overall **1st Place, 1/4 mile drag race


''Aurora 4''

''Aurora 4'' improved on the successes of the ''Aurora'' class of cars. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack was the first new battery technology used by the Minnesota team, and the solar array was the first to use two different sizes of photovoltaic solar cells. The team overcame a collision with its lead vehicle and many days of rain for a 4th-place finish in Sunrayce '99. It was the second 4-wheeled car that the UMNSVP built after Aurora I. * Sunrayce 99 (
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Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
) **4th Place Overall * 1999 World Solar Challenge ( Darwin,
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, Australia to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
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South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Australia) **4th Place, cutout class


''Borealis I''

''Borealis I'' featured a major redesign from the tried-and-true cutout car. Instead of a flat shell with a "bubble" canopy, the team used an innovative "manta" shell design, where the windshield and canopy are integrated into the body of the car. Also, nearly all other systems were redesigned for higher performance. * 2001 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **12th Place Overall (Qualified for ASC) **Fastest Quarter Mile **Inspector's Award * 2001 American Solar Challenge (
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Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
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California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
) **6th place Overall * 2002 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **2nd Place Overall In early 2005, ''Borealis I'' was sold to th
Illinois State University Solar Car Team
where it was refitted with new electronics and solar panels. ISU raced it as ''Mercury I'' in the 2005 North American Solar Challenge, where they finished 18th. Its chassis was re-used for their 2008 car ''Mercury II'', but unfortunately, troubles with their motor prevented them from qualifying. In 2009, ''Mercury II'' finished 5th out of 11 entered vehicles in the 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix.


''Borealis II''

''Borealis II'' improved on the design of ''Borealis I'', stressing first and foremost reliability, which resulted in a relatively heavy car. It overcame a number of mishaps that damaged the car to become one of UMNSVP's most successful projects to date. * 2003 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **1st Place Overall **Pole Position **Esprit de Corps Award **Ironman Competition (Tire Change) Winner (Trevre Roys Andrews) **Pit Crew Competition Winner * 2003 American Solar Challenge (
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Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
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) **2nd Place Overall * 2004 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **2nd Place Overall


''Borealis III''

''Borealis III'' improved upon its predecessors by stressing efficiency and weight reduction; the car weighs just over 400 lb. ''Borealis III'' was also the first solar car in history to cross an international boundary during a race; it did so on July 21, 2005, during that year's North American Solar Challenge. During June and July 2006, ''Borealis III'' underwent slight modifications in order to race in the World Solar Rally in Taiwan in September 2006. * 2005 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Heartland Park,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **1st Place Overall **Fastest Lap * 2005 North American Solar Challenge ( Austin,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
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USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
to Calgary,
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
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Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
) **2nd Place Overall **Espirit de Corps **Innovation Award * 2006 World Solar Rally ( Kaohsiung,
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
) **4th Place Overall


''Centaurus I''

''Centaurus I'' featured several major design adjustments from both previous series of cars. Due to a change in the North American Solar Challenge rules for 2008 requiring the driver to sit upright, the team was faced with the task of allowing the driver to do this while still minimizing aerodynamic drag. Many design components were reworked to fit the new style of vehicle and improve performance. * 2008 North American Solar Challenge ( Plano,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
,
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
to Calgary,
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
) **5th Place Overall **2nd Place Stock Class **Fastest Qualifier Lap **Fastest Figure Eight **Most Prepared **Best Workmanship **Excellence in Mechanical Design **Espirit de Corps * 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix (Motorsport Ranch, Cresson,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
) **1st Place Overall **Fastest Lap


''Centaurus II''

''Centaurus II'' was designed for the 2010 American Solar Challenge. Building off of experience from C1, the team managed to build a much lighter car (389 lbs empty versus 440 lbs for C1), as well as decrease the aerodynamic drag by a significant margin. Despite having one of the cheapest solar arrays at the event, the team managed to finish in 2nd place overall. * 2010 Formula Sun Grand Prix (Motorsport Ranch, Cresson,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
) **3rd Place Overall * 2010 American Solar Challenge ( Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to
Naperville Naperville ( ) is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is in the Chicago metro area, west of the city. Naperville was founded in 1831 by Joseph Naper. The city was ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
) **2nd Place Overall **Excellence in Dynamic Scrutineering **Excellence in Electrical Design **Sportsmanship Award (as voted by the teams) **Sportsmanship Award, three-way tie with Calgary and Northwestern (as chosen by the inspectors) * 2011 Formula Sun Grand Prix ( Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
) **1st Place Overall


''Centaurus III''

''Centaurus III'' was the culmination of the Centaurus series with improvements in weight and aerodynamics. Designed for the 2012 American Solar Challenge, it was slowed in the middle of the race by faulty thermistors. In 2014 it was renamed ''Centaurus π'' and was refitted with a new electrical system and a vinyl wrap for the 2014 American Solar Challenge. There the car realized its full potential by finishing 2nd overall despite having to overcome extensive water damage to the solar car and team equipment before the final day of the Formula Sun Grand Prix qualifying race. * 2012 Formula Sun Grand Prix (
Monticello Motor Club The Monticello Motor Club is a private country club for automotive enthusiasts with a long motor racing circuit situated in Monticello, New York. It opened on July 27, 2008, and was built on the site of the former Monticello Airport. In May 20 ...
,
Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...
, New York) **6th Place Overall * 2012 American Solar Challenge (
Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...
, New York, to
St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
) **5th Place Overall **1st Place, Stage 5 * 2014 Formula Sun Grand Prix (
Circuit of the Americas Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Austin, Texas, in the United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States G ...
, Austin,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
) **3rd Place Overall * 2014 American Solar Challenge ( Austin,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, to
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
) **2nd Place Overall


''Daedalus''

''Daedalus'' marked a drastic design change from the team's previous solar cars. Designed for the new cruiser class in the
World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback. With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
, it was the team's first two-seater car with an emphasis on practicality. The team overcame electrical problems to be in the minority of teams to finish the race without trailering. Daedalus also marked a permanent switch from three-wheeled to four-wheeled solar cars. * 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge ( Darwin,
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, Australia to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Australia) **4th Place, Cruiser Class


''Eos I''

''Eos I'' continues the team's focus on more practical multi-occupant solar cars. It differs from Daedalus in that the occupants are on either side of the catamaran shell with door on the sides instead of a canopy on top. ''Eos'' finished BWSC 2015 without trailering despite a more challenging scoring formula and regulations. In 2016, ''Eos I'' became the first Cruiser car to ever compete in the American Solar Challenge. * 2015 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge ( Darwin,
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, Australia to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Australia) **5th place, Cruiser Class. * 2016 Formula Sun Grand Prix (
Wampum Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western Nor ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
) **4th place Overall **Sole Cruiser car * 2016 American Solar Challenge ( Brecksville,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
to Hot Springs,
South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
) **10th place Overall **Spirit of the Event Award **Sole Cruiser car


''Eos II''

''Eos II'' incorporated significant aerodynamic and solar array improvements from the previous car. It competed in the 2017 BWSC Cruiser Class against teams from around the world, and finished with zero breakdowns. The following year Eos II won FSGP 2018, and competed in the first ever ASC MOV (Multi-Occupant Vehicle) class, leading the race for over 70% of the distance along the Oregon Trail, before experiencing an unfortunate electrical failure and finishing in 2nd Place. * 2017 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge ( Darwin,
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, Australia to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Australia) **5th Place, Cruiser Class * 2018 Formula Sun Grand Prix (Motorsports Park Hastings,
Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
,
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
) **1st Place, MOV Class * 2018 American Solar Challenge ( Omaha,
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
to Bend,
Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
) **2nd Place, MOV Class **Winners of stages 1, 3, and 5. * 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge ( Darwin,
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, Australia to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Australia) **5th Place, Cruiser Class


''Freya''

''Freya'' is the team's newest solar vehicle and the team's first four seated vehicle. It won FSGP 2021 and took 2nd place in ASC 2021's Multi Occupant Vehicle class. It experienced a small battery fire, but despite this was able to continue the race and was given the nickname "Foenix". * 2021 Formula Sun Grand Prix (
Heartland Motorsports Park Heartland Motorsports Park, formerly known as Heartland Park Topeka, is a multi-purpose motorsports facility south of downtown Topeka, Kansas near the Topeka Regional Airport. When it opened in 1989, Heartland Motorsports Park was the first new ...
,
Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
) **1st Place, MOV Class * 2021 American Solar Challenge (
Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
,
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
to
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
) **2nd Place, MOV Class **Best Practicality score, with a score of 86.17% **Spirit of the Event award **Safety award


See also

* List of solar car teams *
Solar car racing Solar car racing refers to competitive races of electric vehicles which are powered by solar energy obtained from solar panels on the surface of the car (solar cars). The first solar car race was the Tour de Sol in 1985 which led to several similar ...
*
World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), since 2013 named Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is an international event for solar powered cars driving 3000 kilometres through the Australian outback. With the exception of a four-year gap between ...
* American Solar Challenge * Formula Sun Grand Prix


External links


Official team siteAmerican Solar ChallengeBridgestone World Solar Challenge


References


UMNSVP - 1999 websiteUMNSVP - 2000-2003 websiteUMNSVP - 2004-2005 websiteUMNSVP - 2006-2008 websiteUMNSVP - 2008-2011 websiteAmerican Solar Challenge History
{{University of Minnesota campus University of Minnesota Solar car racing